New research shows runners can improve health and performance with less training

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Press Release:
New research shows runners can improve health and performance with less training

 

The 10-20-30 training concept improves performance and health profile in moderately trained runners
Thomas Petursson Gunnarsson and Jens Bangsbo
J Appl Physiol; published ahead of print

 

Thanks, this looks very interesting. Not only for runners running short on time trying to fit in a quality work-out, but also for those starting up or getting over an injury of which would benefit from some less taxing conditioning work.

I'm definitely giving it a go.

 

If you short on time why not do the 100-up. I hear its great, someone once used to break a world record, and I read about it in the NY Times, so it must be good igs:

 

Oh yes, Walter's exercise. Say maybe they should do research on this one being that it looks to be becoming popular. Read a little while ago that you were doing this one - have you noticed any fair dinkum (Aussie slang) improvements from the experience?

 

Honestly, I doubt that anyone familiar with the exercise physiology literature that has been done over the past 35 years will find anything new and/or exciting and/or revolutionary with this "new" research.

We have known for years that the intensity of exercise, rather than just the duration of exercise, can have tremendous effects on the physiology of exercise, including exercise performance parameters. This is why, for the past half century, competetive distance runners (and for that matter other athletes) just don't run long and slow, they also do intervals and fartlek workouts at running velocities often times faster than race pace on a scheduled basis in order to "peak" their aerobic capacity and neuromuscular coordination for racing for a given racing season.

In addition, in any research study such as this, care must be taken to rule out the extra training effects that come from having a coach present at training sessions versus no coach at training sessions and the effect that the presence or absence of coaching and competition may have on the physiological parameters being measured. Many times, just the act of studying runners in a supervised manner with a coach or researcher present will increase their fitness level versus letting them "run on their own".

http://jap.physiology.org/content/38/3/481.short

http://jap.physiology.org/content/58/4/1115.short

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02640418708729782

http://www.elite-soccer-fitness.com/Callister1988.pdf

 

Agree Dr. Kev; interval (which includes Fartlek) work is certainly the key to increased performance - particularly more so for middle distance events (which is what the subjects were tested over i.e. 1500m). 5000m is generally not classified as middle distance but these moderately trained subjects would most likely have benefited from the varying speed/intensity workouts (particularly at pace above race pace) for the 5000m.

I think though the issue with the study in question is the nature of the routine i.e. being pretty short - 30sec at <30%; 20sec at <60% and 10sec at >90% of maximal intensity X 5 for 5min. = 1 rep., done 3-4 times with 2min recov. inbetween. I feel it is really that 10sec efforts at over 90% intensity which is doing the job here - the 30% & 60% efforts is nothing really - well certainly not for a conditioned trained athlete, hence this workout will have limited effect on sub-elites/elites I would think.

Then there is the release of increased human growth hormone (HGH) within these subjects as the result of those 10sec. efforts which was also a likely factor in the results (which doesn't look to be considered within the paper).

Like I said on another thread - if you want to make it big in running you really do need to condition yourself to doing regular race specific workouts with adequate recovery inbetween. Recovery is just as important as the workout as you really need to absorb the effort you're putting in... it took me years to learn this lesson :deadhorse: - & I still forget it (hence why coaches are important for most humans - as you suggested for motivation & guidance). The above cited workout may help one through a rough patch & yet still get some quality conditioning in without taxing the system too much.

 

There's a strength and conditioning coach I work with who put a guy through a training program for a marathon last year, and the guy never ran much more than 10k throughout the entire schedule (he was a very time poor City broker).

The program was based upon the research comparing high intensity interval training to endurance training (the more classic 16/52 program you read about) which shows that improvements in body composition, VO2 max and time trial performance are similar.

The City broker completed his marathon in under 4 hours (his main target) and managed to come through it all without picking up a single injury.

 

when I walk to get coffee, I am cognizant to walk the first 30 seconds slow, 20 seconds briskly, and the last 10 seconds very fast as I can see one of my employees about to take the last cup. This has helped my cardio and weight loss. I think last month I lost 5 ounces.

Steven